Forget The Harley Street Glide—This Tourer Brings More For Less
The Harley-Davidson Street Glide makes its presence felt well before you see it: batwing fairing, hard bags, and that Milwaukee-Eight rumble rolling down the road. It’s the bagger every other bagger gets measured against. But being the benchmark doesn’t make it the best buy. The Street Glide carries a steep cost of admission and an options catalog that keeps the total climbing. Rivals undercut it, but most do it by giving up power, size, or equipment. In that rival list hides one that brings more horsepower, a much deeper list of standard tech and touring essentials straight from the factory, and even costs less.
The Street Glide’s Pricing Leaves Cracks In Its Crown
The Street Glide surely serves as the benchmark, and it plays the part well. It’s just as happy rolling down a small-town main street as it is crossing three states with a passenger on the back, and the options list lets owners turn it into whatever they like. Harley knows that, too, which is where the trouble starts.
At first glance, the $24,999 starting price makes the bagger look sharper and far more attainable than it used to be. At that figure, it slightly undercuts the Honda Gold Wing’s $25,500 sticker, making many believe that Milwaukee has finally delivered a competitive, value-conscious highway cruiser. There is, however, a massive catch.
That $24,999 sticker only gets you a bike in base paint and strictly a solo saddle. If you want to ride two-up on a machine built specifically for long-distance touring, Harley hits you with a $2,000 upcharge for passenger accommodations, instantly bumping the real starting price to $26,999. And this doesn’t end there. Premium paint and other options easily push prices by a lot more. What looks like a $25k bargain quickly turns into an expensive rolling starter kit. This crack has left a gap wide open, and several bike makers are actually targeting it.
Several Cheaper Rivals Try To Plug The Gap
Sensing the frustration of buyers tired of paying extra for basic touring readiness, several manufacturers have stepped in with budget-friendly alternatives designed to steal market share. The Japanese manufacturers have long played the value card, and even Europe has taken a swing. BMW has the R 18 B, armed with a massive 1,802cc boxer twin and dripping with premium finishes. This proves that Germany can build a gorgeous, heritage-inspired bagger. The trade is power. The savings are real, but so are the compromises. Luckily, BMW has another tourer that takes away those compromises.
The BMW K 1600 B Is The Best Of The Bunch
That’s the BMW K 1600 B (‘B’ stands for bagger). Rather than trying to beat Harley at its own heritage game, the German brand built a 758-pound touring machine designed to eat up interstates at a relentless pace. It hits all the mandatory design requirements for the class, but the magic happens under the bodywork. BMW paired a massive inline-six engine with a highly sophisticated sport-touring chassis. It’s the one bike here that doesn’t make the trade. It beats the Harley on power, on standard equipment, and on price.
At $25,075, This BMW Shows Up With More For Less
The price tag is where the K 1600 B starts making a lot of sense. With a starting MSRP of $25,075, the BMW comes in nearly two grand under the $26,999 true two-up price of the Street Glide. Unlike Harley’s, that base sticker price delivers a motorcycle that is genuinely ready for a week-long trip. And in some aspects, it beats the H-D in some places, too.
160 Horsepower Puts The Harley’s Output In The Rearview
One of those aspects is definitely the engine. The K 1600 B’s liquid- and oil-cooled inline-six displaces 1,649cc, runs four valves per cylinder and 12.2:1 compression, and makes 160 horsepower and 132.7 pound-feet of torque via a low-maintenance shaft-driven six-speed transmission. That’s a sizable 55-pony bump over the Harley’s Street Glide. There is an optional quick shifter that goes both ways, and you get a reverse assist as well. It is also one of the world’s most powerful six-cylinder motorcycle engines today, and BMW quotes a top speed above 120 mph.
Six Smooth Cylinders Deliver Effortless High-Speed Cruising
The massive power advantage is one thing, but how the BMW delivers that output completely alters the touring experience. Traditional large-displacement V-twins are inherently prone to mechanical vibration. Many riders love that rumbling character around town, but that same vibration actively contributes to physical fatigue on a 600-mile highway day.
The BMW’s six-cylinder architecture is perfectly balanced by design. It delivers immense power and equally strong torque throughout the rev range, and should not pass on any vibrations through the handlebars or the footrests on the highway. All of this creates a remarkably refined riding character which is ideal for a luxury touring bike.
The BMW Treats Comfort As Standard, Not A Luxury
Refinement is only half of the touring equation. The other half is how a bike treats you once the miles pile up. Heated grips and seat heating both come standard. Your passenger isn’t an afterthought, either. The co-rider gets a proper seat from day one, while the Harley-Davidson makes you pay extra. A seven-gallon tank stretches the range, and a splash-proof, ventilated compartment with a USB-C port keeps your phone charged and cool.
Electronically Adjustable Suspension Smooths Out The Miles
The K 1600 B’s underpinnings are as unusual as its engine. A cast-aluminum bridge frame carries the engine as a stressed member, with BMW’s Duolever at the front and a Paralever at the rear. Duolever separates steering from suspension action, which limits front-end dive under braking. Paralever keeps the rear end settled. Travel is 4.5 inches at the front and 5.3 at the rear.
Both ends are electronically adjustable through Dynamic ESA, which comes standard and levels the load automatically. The Street Glide’s conventional 49 mm fork is the norm in this class, which makes this setup stand out. The bike rides on 17-inch wheels with a 120-section front tire and a 190-section rear. Stopping comes from dual 320 mm front discs with four-piston calipers and a rear disc with a two-piston caliper.
Standard Top-Tier Tech Sweetens The Deal
Harley’s 12.3-inch Skyline OS display is bigger than the BMW’s 10.25-inch TFT, but the BMW’s standard list is longer. The TFT brings connectivity and navigation through the BMW Motorrad Connected app, and the full-LED headlight includes an adaptive cornering light. Dynamic traction control, engine brake control, Hill Start Control Pro, tire-pressure monitoring and Integral ABS Pro all come standard, along with Reverse Assist. Keyless Ride, Shift Assist Pro and the upgraded audio cost extra.
The K 1600 B Stands Out Among Japanese And American Baggers
The K 1600 B beats every rival here on horsepower, and both the Japanese and American benchmarks cost more. The Honda Gold Wing is the only other six-cylinder tourer on sale and the closest like-for-like rival. It’s $25,700, which is more than the BMW, and it makes 124.7 horsepower and 125.3 pound-feet of torque against the BMW’s 160 and 132.7, respectively. It’s also heavier. Both use shaft drive, but the BMW is the sportier of the two, and it gets there for less money.
The American side adds up less well. The Street Glide makes 105 horsepower and 130 pound-feet, and a two-up one costs $26,999, which is again more than the BMW for fewer horsepower. Indian’s Challenger comes closest on output at 126 horsepower and 133 pound-feet, but it’s still short, and at 855 pounds wet, it’s heavier than this European tourer. The K 1600 B does give some things up. You lose the V-twin rumble and the badge that comes with it. In return, you get the most power of the group, a passenger seat, and a standard equipment list that’s hard to match at this price.
Source: BMW
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